Sport Cap with Enclosure

ABSTRACT

A wearable article that may be worn with a device includes a headwear, a first retractor, and a first connector. The headwear is wearable independent of the device. The first retractor is mounted within the headwear. The first retractor includes a first reel and a first cord. The first cord is capable of extending from and retracting into the first reel. The first connector is connected to the first cord and is configured for non-destructively fastening to and unfastening from the device. The headwear includes a first enclosure positioned and sized for holding the first connector when the first connector is not being used for fastening to the device.

FIELD

This patent application generally relates to a wearable article that serves to support another device. More particularly, it is related to headwear having a structure for securely retaining the other device.

BACKGROUND

Headwear has long been used for supporting eyewear, such as the visor of a baseball style cap or such as the retractable cord for securely supporting eyewear, as shown in commonly invented U.S. Pat. No. 7,013,491 (“the '491 patent). Improvement in the system of the '491 patent is needed, and this improvement is provided in the current patent application.

SUMMARY

One aspect of the present patent application is a wearable article that may be worn with a device. The wearable article includes a headwear, a first retractor, and a first connector. The headwear is wearable independent of the device. The first retractor is mounted within the headwear. The first retractor includes a first reel and a first cord. The first cord is capable of extending from and retracting into the first reel. The first connector is connected to the first cord and is configured for non-destructively fastening to and unfastening from the device. The headwear includes a first enclosure positioned and sized for holding the first connector when the first connector is not being used for fastening to the device.

In one embodiment the first enclosure includes a first pouch. The headwear includes a crown portion, and the first pouch is external to the crown.

In one embodiment the headwear includes a crown and a headband. The crown includes a first slot positioned and sized for inserting the first connector through the first slot and into the headband.

One embodiment includes a second retractor. The first retractor is mounted on a first side portion of the headwear and the second retractor is mounted on a second side portion of the headwear.

In one embodiment the headwear includes a crown and a headband, and the first reel is located between the headband and the crown.

In one embodiment the headband includes a passage, and the cord is mounted to slide into the headband through the passage.

In one embodiment the first connector includes a first loop holder.

In one embodiment the first connector includes a screw.

One embodiment further includes eyewear, wherein said connector is configured for non-destructively fastening to and unfastening from a temple of said eyewear.

In one embodiment the device includes at least one from the group consisting of a mask and ear buds.

In one embodiment the headwear includes flotation.

In one embodiment the headwear includes a bill portion, wherein the bill portion includes the flotation.

In one embodiment the flotation is a layer of a multilayer material.

In one embodiment the flotation includes a material, such as polyethylene or neoprene.

Another aspect of the present patent application is a method of using a wearable article for holding a device. The method includes providing a headwear, a first retractor, and a first connector, wherein the headwear is wearable independent of the device, wherein the first retractor is mounted within the headwear, wherein the first retractor includes a first reel and a first cord, wherein the first cord is capable of extending from and retracting into the first reel, wherein the first connector is connected to the first cord and is configured for non-destructively fastening to and unfastening from the device, wherein the headwear includes a first enclosure positioned and sized for holding the first connector when the first connector is not being used for fastening to the device. The method further includes connecting the device to the first connector. The method further includes disconnecting the device from the first connector. The method further includes storing the first connector in the first enclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the prior art baseball cap and retractor of the 7,013,491 patent;

FIG. 2 is a detail view of the reel, passage, cord, and parts of the eyewear fastener of the prior art baseball cap and retractor of the '491 patent;

FIG. 3a is a side view of the headwear system with eyewear attached and securely held in place;

FIG. 3b is a detail side view of the cord, gromet through which the cord extends, the loop holder, and the pouch;

FIG. 3c is a detail side view of the cord, gromet through which the cord extends, and the with the loop holder hidden in the pouch.

FIG. 4a is a side view of the headwear system of FIG. 3a with eyewear attached and securely held in place but with a slit in place of the pouch;

FIG. 4b is a partial x-ray detail 3-D view of the loop holder extending through a slit in the crown of the headwear;

FIG. 5 is a side view of a surgical cap with the components of FIG. 3a and with eyewear attached and securely held in place with a light and battery attached;

FIG. 6a is a side view of a headwear of FIG. 3a and with a mask attached;

FIG. 6b is a detail view of the loop holder showing how strings of the mask are connected to the loop holder;

FIG. 7a is a side view of a headwear of FIG. 3a and with an ear bud attached;

FIG. 7b is a detail view of the loop holder fully opened to allow passage of the ear bud;

FIG. 7c is an enlarged view of the loop holder with an ear bud attached of FIG. 7 a;

FIG. 8a is a side view of a headwear of FIG. 3a with a screw type connector;

FIG. 8b is a detail view of the screw connector connecting cord and eyewear temples; and

FIGS. 8c and 8d are detail views of the screw connector showing the threaded and tapped portions and crimp or knot connections to cord and eyewear temple.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the prior art headwear with secure device holder are shown in the '491 patent,” for which the present applicant was the inventor, and which is incorporated herein by reference. In one embodiment, the '491 patent includes a cap that may be worn with eyewear but the cap is wearable independent of the eyewear. The retractor is mounted within the cap. The retractor includes a cord and a reel. The cord extends from and retracts into the reel. The cord includes an eyewear fastener for fastening to a temple of the eyewear.

In the '491 patent, baseball style cap 1 includes crown 2, visor 6, and, on each side, a retractor that includes reel 11 and retractable cord 4 from which eyewear fastener 8 extends, as shown in prior art FIGS. 1 and 2. A pair of reels 11 are sewn into headband 12 of cap 1 on each side. Retractable cord 4 is wound on reel 11 and extends through passage 7 on each side of cap 1. Eyewear fastener 8 is connected to cord 4 with rubber spacer 14 and includes movable spacer 9. Moveable spacer 9 can shift position along eyewear fastener 8, allowing for inserting end piece 13 of the temple of eyewear 3 and then forming a tight grip on end piece 13. The retractor secures the eyewear either to one's face or to the brim of the cap.

In one embodiment of the present application, pouch 20 is included on each side of crown portion 21 of headwear 22 a, as shown in FIGS. 3a, 3b , and 3 c.

In one embodiment, headwear cord 26 extends from a tensioning reel (see prior art FIG. 2) in a headband (see prior art FIG. 2) of headwear 22 a through grommet 32 in passage 34 to a connector, such as loop holder 36, as shown in FIG. 1 b.

In use for securing a device, such as eyewear 40, the user extends end piece 41 of eyewear through loop 44 a of loop holder 36. Position of spacer 42 of loop holder 36 is then adjusted toward end piece 41 to securely hold end piece 41 of eyewear 40 in now smaller loop 44 a. as shown in FIG. 3a . Spacer 42 of loop holder 36 can later be adjusted in the opposite direction to non-destructively remove end piece 41 of eyewear 40 from loop 44 a.

In some applications, for example, when eyewear 40 has thin temples, end piece 41 is secured through both loop 44 a and loop 44 b for greater security.

While in prior art schemes eyewear was often at least partially supported by a cap's visor, such as visor 50 of FIG. 3a , in the present application sufficient tension is provided by retractable cord 26 from the tensioning reel to securely hold any kind of device in place.

When not in use for securing a device, such as eyewear 40, loop holder 36 may be moved from where it hangs, as shown in FIG. 3b and tucked into pouch 20, as shown in FIG. 3c . Inside pouch 20, loop holder 36 does not swing around or extend outward from headwear 22 a, thereby preventing unwanted interference with the extended loops by other people and unwanted entanglement of extended loops with other things.

Alternatively, the enclosure may be formed with slit 52 in headwear 22 b, as shown in FIG. 4. Unused loop holder 36 may be tucked into slit 52 so it extends directly into space facing the headband. Loop holder 36 can also extend into a pouch (not shown) inside the headband.

Headwear 22 a, 22 b may be any style hat, cap, hood, helmet, balaclava, surgical cap, or visor, which may be substituted for the baseball style cap of FIG. 3a . The device may be eyeglasses, sunglasses, a light source, surgical or dental binocular microscopes, binocular telescopes or any other kind of optical device. Illustrating one such application, surgical cap 56 includes a pair of rectractors, each with cord 26 and loop holder 36 that is connected to eyewear 40 that has light 58 and battery pack 60 mounted, as shown in FIG. 5.

In addition to eyewear, other devices, such as face mask 70 of FIG. 6a, 6b or the ear buds 72 of FIG. 7a may be supported.

In one embodiment, knot 76 tied in a portion of string 80 of face mask 70 pass through loop 44 a or 44 b of loop holder 36, as shown in FIG. 6b . Spacer 42 is slid to increase the diameter of loop 44 a or 44 b to allow insertion of knot 76, as shown in FIG. 6b . Spacer 42 is then slid back and tightened to retain string 80.

Similarly, when fully opened by sliding spacer 42, as shown in FIG. 7b , ear bud 86 can pass through loop 44 a of loop holder 36. Spacer 42 is then slid back and tightened on a portion of earbud wire 88, as shown in FIG. 7c . Thus, ear bud 86 can reach and remain inserted in the user's ear canal while loop holder 36 limits tension or stresses, such as may be caused by user activity, that could otherwise cause the ear bud 86 to fall out.

Alternatively, another type of connector may be used in place of loop holder 36, such as screw connector 90, as shown in FIGS. 8a-8d . In one embodiment, screw connector 90 has cord screw portion 92 a with threads 92 b that can be fitted to cord 26 that is connected to the reel retractor, and device screw portion 94 with tapped threads (not shown) that can be fitted to a device, such as eyewear 40. As shown in FIGS. 7b and 7c crimping or knots can be used to secure connections of cord screw portion 92 a to cord 26 and of device screw portion 94 to eyewear 40.

In one embodiment the headwear includes flotation. For hats that have a sunvisor, brim, or bill portion, the flotation may be in the sunvisor, brim, or bill portion. It can also be in the headband portion or the crown portion of the headware. The headware can be any style, such as a baseball style cap or a fisherman style that has a brim extending 360 degrees around.

The addition of flotation can prevent loss of eyewear if the flotation is sufficient to enable the hat and the attached eyewear to float when, for example, wind causes the hat to fall off into the water.

In one embodiment the flotation is a layer of a multilayer material.

In one embodiment the flotation includes a material, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, or neoprene.

While several embodiments, together with modifications thereof, have been described in detail herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it will be evident that various further modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. Nothing in the above specification is intended to limit the invention more narrowly than the appended claims. The examples given are intended only to be illustrative rather than exclusive. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A wearable article that may be worn with a device, comprising a headwear, a first retractor, and a first connector, wherein said headwear is wearable independent of the device, wherein said first retractor is mounted within said headwear, wherein said first retractor includes a first reel and a first cord, wherein said first cord is capable of extending from and retracting into said first reel, wherein said first connector is connected to said first cord and is configured for non-destructively fastening to and unfastening from the device, wherein said headwear includes a first enclosure positioned and sized for holding said first connector when said first connector is not being used for fastening to the device.
 2. An article as recited in claim 1, wherein said first enclosure includes a first pouch.
 3. An article as recited in claim 2, wherein said headwear includes a crown, wherein said first pouch is external to said crown.
 4. An article as recited in claim 1, wherein said headwear includes a crown and a headband, wherein said crown includes a first slot, wherein said first slot is positioned and sized for inserting said first connector through said first slot and into space between said headband and said crown.
 5. An article as recited in claim 1, wherein said headwear further includes a second said retractor and a second said connector.
 6. An article as recited in claim 5, wherein said first retractor is mounted on a first side portion of said headwear and wherein said second retractor is mounted on a second side portion of said headwear.
 7. An article as recited in claim 1, wherein said headwear includes a crown and a headband, wherein said reel is located between said headband and said crown.
 8. An article as recited in claim 7, wherein said headband includes a passage, wherein said cord is mounted to slide into said headband through said passage.
 9. An article as recited in claim 1, wherein said connector includes a loop holder.
 10. An article as recited in claim 1, wherein said connector includes a screw.
 11. An article as recited in claim 1, wherein the device includes eyewear, wherein said connector is configured for non-destructively fastening to and unfastening from a temple of said eyewear.
 12. An article as recited in claim 1, wherein the device includes at least one from the group consisting of a mask and ear buds.
 13. An article as recited in claim 1, wherein said headwear includes flotation.
 14. An article as recited in claim 13, wherein said headwear includes a bill portion, wherein said bill portion includes said flotation.
 15. An article as recited in claim 13, wherein said flotation is a layer of a multilayer material.
 16. An article as recited in claim 13, wherein said flotation includes at least one from a group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, and neoprene.
 17. A method of using a wearable article for holding a device, comprising: a. providing a headwear, a first retractor, and a first connector, wherein said headwear is wearable independent of the device, wherein said first retractor is mounted within said headwear, wherein said first retractor includes a first reel and a first cord, wherein said first cord is capable of extending from and retracting into said first reel, wherein said first connector is connected to said first cord and is configured for non-destructively fastening to and unfastening from the device, wherein said headwear includes a first enclosure positioned and sized for holding said first connector when said first connector is not being used for fastening to the device; b. connecting the device to said first connector; c. non-destructively disconnecting the device from said first connector; and d. storing said first connector in said first enclosure. 